12/04/2025

In the St John's Gospel that we have been reading each morning, there has not yet been the narrative of the raising of Lazarus. 

This morning's translation gives the impression of being set in the Temple. "Many of the Jews who had come with Mary and seen what Jesus did, believed in him."

In other translations "with" is "come to visit" which now places us at the scene of the "raising of Lazarus".

Before I had noticed that discrepancy I had been at a loss as to how to continue my morning devotion.

Scholastic textual criticism has contributed billions of hours to the religious culture that is also part of the Earth that will fade away. Studying the "word" is not the same as living by it. The descendants of the Pharisees are still practising the stream of faith that finds fulfillment in increasing the stock of human knowledge but appear to have hearts that are still closed to the second commandment.

Each morning that I try to pray with the Mass Readings brings my soul into the presence of Our Father in communion with all others who are seen and completely known by IAMFATHERSONHOLYSPIRIT. Noticing the problem of "with" led me back to the only thing of which I can be sure. 

Although many saw the resuscitated Lazarus, whose body had begun to corrupt in the Tomb, they still saw Jesus as a human problem to be solved and not as the Eternal Event he has always been and has to be accepted as such in this world.

The Resurrection, total perfection of human, mind body and soul also failed to break through the armour of self-satisfaction that still keeps many of the millions of my contemporaries from the everlasting Love that will surround us if we avoid the things of this World and make the right choice for ourselves. "Heaven and Earth will pass away but my Word will stand."